Have you ever been out enjoying a night spent with good friends only to find you are struggling to find a taxi ride home by the end of the night? There’s not a taxi in sight and every time that you try and call for one, you get a busy signal.

Or even worse, have you ever been in a new city or country, and had an unsettling feeling you were being overcharged or being taken for a ride by your taxi driver?

Unfortunately, both of these are very common issues faced by many people in cities all over the world.

Two entrepreneurs in Europe, Niclaus Mewes and Sven Külper came up with a solution for these issues back in June of 2009 when they launched MyTaxi. The whole premise of their business was to offer an alternative method of booking a taxi by connecting both driver and customer directly via an app.

In the years that followed, the business model developed by Mewes and Külper has been adopted by several other notable ridesharing companies, such as Uber and Lyft. However, there’s a good chance these companies wouldn’t even exist if it hadn’t been for MyTaxi paving the way with its innovative approach.

What is MyTaxi?

MyTaxi was the world’s first taxi booking app, developed and released in Germany. The company has its headquarters located in Hamburg, and within two years they had expanded to possess fleets in six major German cities.

They didn’t stop there however—soon after, MyTaxi expanded into other European markets, launching in cities such as Vienna, Barcelona, Zurich, and Warsaw. By October of 2012, MyTaxi had even entered the United States by launching in Washington, D.C.

So, what was the reason for their rapid expansion? That’s simple—it was all due to their ingenious business model. Never before had booking and paying for a taxi been so easy. For the first time ever, customers could also directly provide feedback by rating their ride experience in real time as well.

The company has only continued to evolve in the meantime. Year after year, they earned accolades for the best app or best web service. They’ve built upon their product line even further, adding in services such as MyTaxi Delivery that enable merchants to deliver goods to customers down to specific dates and times.

The future definitely looks bright for MyTaxi, and it all started thanks to one simple idea— offering a simple solution to connect taxi drivers with their customers through an easy to use app.

The MyTaxi App

The MyTaxi app is available to download for your iOS, Android, and BlackBerry. It can be downloaded directly on your smartphone device or via your computer.

After downloading the app, you can set up your “My Account” information. Here, you are able to add information for your preferred in-app payment method (either credit card or PayPal), and set up a PIN to help prevent unauthorized transactions.

How Does MyTaxi Work?

So how exactly does MyTaxi work? It all comes down to an incredibly simple process that lets users book a licensed taxi, track their driver’s arrival in real time, and then immediately provide feedback on the experience upon their arrival to their destination.

When using the app, you are able to search for a driver from a huge selection of licensed taxi drivers. MyTaxi offers drivers to suit the needs of everyone—you can search for maxi taxi options and even sort the listings to only show 5-star rated taxi drivers. In addition, you have the option to either book for same day or as early as four days in advance for your convenience.

After booking your driver, you can then monitor their arrival in real time. You can also track their GPS location on the map, or even request a push notification upon their arrival.

When you are in the taxi, the app even has a feature that lets you update your family and friends on the go, so they know that you are safe and sound. Once you arrive at your destination, the app will send a notification with the amount owed. You have the option to either pay in cash or directly through the app.

Upon payment, you’ll receive a receipt sent to you via email. You’ll also have the option to save the driver as a favorite, making it quick and easy to book them again for future rides.

What MyTaxi Customers Are Saying

There’s a good reason why MyTaxi has garnered so many prestigious accolades in its relatively short history. The general consensus among MyTaxi reviews is that the app is incredibly straightforward and easy to use, making booking taxis an absolute breeze. Users love the peace of mind they feel thanks to the in-app safety features, such as being able to provide real-time updates to friends and family.

One of the major recommendations that we noticed many users have made is the ability to see the total cost for your trip ahead of time. Currently, you won’t receive your fare notification until you arrive at your destination. The ability to get an idea, even if it’s just an estimated fare total, would be greatly appreciated by many customers.

What About MyTaxi Delivery?

As MyTaxi continued to grow, they wanted to further innovate and provide even more outstanding service options for their user base. They recognized that in the modern world, many people aren’t home and available to receive their deliveries during business hours. This would often end up with people having to go out and pick up their orders themselves when they could find the time.

With that in mind, they created MyTaxi Delivery. Thanks to MyTaxi having the largest taxi fleet in all of Europe, they are now able to offer an incredibly expedited delivery service. Here’s a quick video highlighting the important information you’ll need to know:

Using the MyTaxi Delivery service, customers can have their purchases delivered directly to their doorstep within one hour. Alternatively, customers can select a timeframe for their delivery for when they know they will be home to receive their order.

Online store owners, brick-and-mortar shops, and national retailers can all choose to offer the MyTaxi Delivery service. Whenever you’re shopping for your goods, if the feature is available, you will be able to spot the “MyTaxi Delivery” option when completing your purchase.

How to Contact MyTaxi

If you need to contact MyTaxi directly with any questions or concerns you may have, there are a number of different ways that you can reach out to them.

MyTaxi Contact Number

You can contact the MyTaxi team directly via telephone by calling +49.40 30 60 68 90.

MyTaxi vs.

Considering how rapidly MyTaxi exploded in popularity thanks to their unique and innovative approach, it was inevitable that other types of companies would eventually adopt a similar business model.

The most well-known examples for driving services are obviously Uber and Lyft. However, MyTaxi doesn’t just face competition when it comes to providing driving services these days.

The MyTaxi Delivery service also directly competes against a few other delivery services, particularly those in the food sector. Companies like DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Instacart all offer a restaurant or grocery delivery service right to your door.

Let’s take a brief look at the aforementioned companies as well as how their drivers work to see how they stack up against MyTaxi.

MyTaxi vs. DoorDash

DoorDash is an on-demand restaurant delivery service that started out in 2013 in San Francisco, CA. Since then, they have very rapidly expanded to 42 markets and over 500 cities.

Their drivers are known as “Dashers,” and they employ more than 75,000 of them. The delivery charge for each order can range from $5 to $8, with the company making about 20% in commission from the participating restaurant.

The Dashers are paid a flat amount for every delivery that they complete, making it quite a lucrative opportunity if they reside in a city where the service is frequently used once you factor in tips as well.

MyTaxi vs. Grubhub

Grubhub operates in a similar manner as DoorDash in that it’s a service designed to connect hungry diners with a plethora of local takeout restaurant options. There’s a few brands that all operate under the Grubhub umbrella: Grubhub, Seamless, Eat24, AllMenus, and MenuPages.

Users simply type in an address, and Grubhub will provide information for all of the local restaurants that will deliver to that specific location. They will also let you know about nearby food pickup spots as well. You can then place your order either online or over the phone. Grubhub also provides 24/7 customer service for each order placed.

Grubhub processes more orders than most over delivery platforms, with over 300,000 daily orders on average. With that volume, their drivers can end up making quite a decent amount of income.

MyTaxi vs. Uber Eats

Just as Uber entered the world of offering ride services in cities all over the world, they also stepped foot into the grocery delivery arena by launching the UberFRESH service in 2014. Shortly after that, the service was renamed to Uber Eats.

Much like DoorDash and Grubhub, this service has partnered up with hundreds upon hundreds of restaurants in cities all around the world. You simply have to load up the app, scroll through the feed or search for whatever it is that you’re craving, and place your order.

The meals are delivered by Uber Eats couriers who have the option of working using a car, a bike, or even on foot. That definitely sets them apart from their competitors as it allows them to hire from a much wider pool of candidates.

MyTaxi vs Instacart

Instacart is distinct from MyTaxi and the other three companies mentioned in that they specialize as a grocery store delivery service. It’s an incredibly convenient service for customers to use—they simply shop for their groceries online, and then Instacart will have someone gather up your order in the store and then deliver it directly to your home.

The company shops from a wide variety of local stores in any given area. Customers are able to schedule delivery times that suit their needs—it could be the same day or later in the week. There’s also a pick up option available.

They charge users $7.99 for one-hour deliveries or $5.99 for two-hours or more. During particularly busy periods, these fees may be slightly higher. However, they also offer an “Instacart Express” subscription service for $149 annually (this is discounted to $99 for first-time members). Instacart Express members receive free deliveries on all orders over $35.

For anyone looking to work with the company, they offer a few different options. You can work as either a shopper, gathering customer orders from the store as they come. Or you can work as a driver, handling all of the deliveries. Some people choose to work in both roles, collecting and delivering the entire order from start to finish.

MyTaxi Pricing Information

It is completely free of charge to download and use the MyTaxi app on your smartphone.

(NOTE: The MyTaxi app is free to use for bookings in every country except for Ireland. As of September 20, 2017, there is a €2 booking fee when using the service in Ireland. This fee is an industry standard that is charged by all taxi providers in the country. Previously, MyTaxi simply waived the booking fee but that is no longer the case).

As for specific fare pricings for MyTaxi rides, that can vary from city to city because local taxi regulations are in charge of determining all fares, charges, and surcharges in their respective cities. MyTaxi has no control over what these fares are, and must adhere to them.

That applies for MyTaxi Delivery fees as well. The rate charged can vary depending on your location—in general however, the pricing remains fairly consistent with additional delivery service options available in the area.

Depending on which city you are located in, there may also be a cancellation fee involved with cancelling a MyTaxi booking order. Not all locations will charge this fee. Feel free to consult MyTaxi.com for more information regarding any applicable cancellation fees for your particular city.

You can always contact MyTaxi customer service via telephone or email with any pricing questions or concerns you have relevant to your specific area.

MyTaxi Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Does MyTaxi Work?

Using the MyTaxi app is incredibly easy to do. Simply open it on your smartphone and the GPS will narrow down your exact location. You next edit your destination details (and your pick-up location if you want to send the taxi to meet you elsewhere). You can then browse all available licensed taxis in your location, and with one more simple click, book your driver. You are then able to track the driver’s location via GPS until they arrive to pick you up. Once you arrive at your destination, you can pay for the ride and even leave feedback for your driver.

Is MyTaxi Legit?

MyTaxi is a legitimate company that can be found in many major cities all across Europe, and they’ve even expanded into the United States now as well. They have won numerous accolades and awards. Here’s just a small sampling of some of these awards:

1st place at the 2011 Global Vision Awards for ‘Best App’

App of the year in 2012, awarded by the App Store to the best apps

Innovation of the year in 2013, awarded by FOCUS Digital Star at DLD

Best German startup of 2013, awarded at The Europas awards

As you can see, MyTaxi is not only a legitimate company, but also a highly successful one at that.

Is MyTaxi Safe to Use?

MyTaxi is an incredibly safe service to use. Each and every one of their taxi drivers are fully licensed and verified. When booking a ride through the app, all of the booking details are confirmed with the company and they will provide you with your driver’s name, photograph, and you can even view their feedback left by other customers.

In addition, the app also allows you to update your friends or family on the status of your ride, so you can let them know that you are safe. And finally, you can pay for your ride safely and securely directly through the app. Using MyTaxi stands out as being both safe and highly convenient to use.

How Much Does MyTaxi Cost?

There is no fee involved with using the MyTaxi app to book your ride. You can download and use it completely free of charge. There are no hidden costs or fees associated with the app.

(NOTE: There is a €2 booking fee when using MyTaxi in Ireland. This is an industry standard fee charged by all taxi providers in the country.)

However, as MyTaxi only operates as a service to quickly and easily connect passengers with drivers, they can’t provide specific details on how much your fare could be. All taxi fare rates, including any additional charges or surcharges, are always determined by local taxi regulations. These regulations can vary from city to city. These rates can always be looked up online or by contacting the transport authority in your region.

Does MyTaxi Take Cash?

You can choose to pay for your MyTaxi ride with cash if you wish to do so. Once you go through to book your ride, you will have the option to select your preferred payment method. You are able to select from cash or from your preferred in-app purchase options (PayPal or credit card). If you have not yet assigned a preference to use for in-app purchases, you can still select to pay with a debit or credit card in the ‘Options’ menu.

Is the Tip Included on MyTaxi?

A tip is not included in your final fare amount that is calculated upon arrival to your destination when using MyTaxi. However, if you would like to leave your driver a tip, you can still choose to do so.

How do I Tip on MyTaxi?

If you would like to leave your driver a tip, you have two methods to do so, depending on how you are paying for your ride.

After your trip is completed, you will see the payment request screen in your app. From here, you are able to verify your payment details and input an optional tip amount if you’d like. From here, you can complete the transaction directly through the app and the tip will go to the driver.

On the other hand, if you are paying for your ride with cash, you can choose to simply tip your driver in cash as well.

How Do I Cancel a MyTaxi Order?

It’s incredibly straightforward to cancel a booking you’ve placed through the MyTaxi app. There is a “Cancel” button in the upper left corner of the screen showing your trip details; simply click on that to cancel the booking.

There are two important considerations to keep in mind however:

In some markets, you may be charged a cancellation fee. To see if this will apply in your city, you can check com

Abusing the app and excess cancellations can result in your MyTaxi account being blocked

Additional Questions and Support

If you have any other questions regarding the MyTaxi service, there are two additional sites that may have the answer you are looking for.

Conclusion

While these days there’s certainly no shortage of rideshare and express delivery companies, it was MyTaxi who paved the way for taxi drivers to quickly and easily connect with passengers.

By offering users a streamlined app that quickly and easily allowed them to book from a large pool of fully licensed taxis, MyTaxi was able to grow at incredibly rapid speeds, allowing them to expand throughout Europe and into North America.

MyTaxi is constantly looking towards the future and seeking news ways to evolve as well. They have announced plans to start offering a ride pooling service coming in 2018, allowing users to cut costs by sharing rides with one another.

The world’s first taxi app is heading into the new year with a lot of momentum behind them, and their future looks very bright indeed.

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